Portable cot or baby crib



Oct. 10, 1950 A. a. DODGE PORTABLE 001' OR BABY CRIB 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 8, 1945 Oct. 10, 1950 A. B. DODGE 2, 6

' PORTABLE (101' OR BABY can;

Filed Oct. a, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'J IHIHIIIIIHIHIIIIIIIII i atenteci Oct. l0,

UNITED' STATES PATENT ORFF'ICE, v, c 2,525,168 I i j t PORTABLE co'r oRnA BY oR IB' Arthur B. Ddg,e', Lancaster, Pa. Application October 8, 1945, Serial No.'620,962

This invention relates to improvements in portable cots or baby cribs.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a relatively 'simple portable cot or baby crib which is adapted to being quickly assembled and disassembled.

A further object is the provision of a portable knock-down cot or crib having improved means of assembling and disassembling the same.

Another object is the provision of a crib or cot having folding members thereon for supporting a band in position for screening and retaining an occupant in position thereon.

Still another object is to provide a portable crib or cot of the knock-down type constructed of inexpensive light weight material which, upon disassembly, may be formed into a relatively small compact bundle, adaptable for assembly in a fabric bag to facilitate handling particularly during travel by automobile.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention is considered with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled cot or crib with the supporting band positioned thereon;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the leg, frame and band supporting structure;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the leg reinforcing bar, partially folded to illustrate the hinge structure;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the assembled cot; and.

1 Claim. (01. 51-98) Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings wherein similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, numeral l designates the cot bottom formed of a sheet of some suitable fabric material, such as canvas, having its side edges folded and stitched or otherwise secured to form longitudinal hems 2. Adapted to be inserted within each of the hems is a side bar 3, constructed of some suitable light Weight material such as wood. Each of the bars 3, is formed in two pieces of equal lengthwhich are hinged together at their inner ends by any suitable hinge, such as a conventional leaf hinge 4, in turn secured to the pieces by screws or the like 5. This construction permits of the bars 3 being readily folded for packing and carrying purposes in an obvious manner.

The canvas bottom I and side bars 3, are supported in the elevated horizontal position shown in Figure 1, by two pairs of crossed interlocked legs 6, similarly constructedof light weight material'such as wood. The legs of each pair are mortised, as'at 7; preferably equi-distant of their length so as to permit of snug interfitting and interlocking engagement with each other. 'The lower ends of the legs are beveled as at 8, to flatly and evenly engage the surface upon which the cot is "placed, and. the upper ends" are correspondingly beveled, as at 9, for a purpose to be' presently de-' scribed. Openings [0, extending through the legs below the upper beveled ends thereof are adapted to receive dowel pins l l, of wood or the like suitably secured to'an'ol projecting from the oute'r ends of the side bars 3, for securing the legs and canvas supporting side barsffirmly togetherl Locking pins 30, insertable in openings 3|, formed in the outer ends-of pins ll, prevent accidental separation of the bars from the legs 6.

A wooden reinforcing bar l2, formed in two pieces of equal length and hinged together at their inner ends, as at It, to permit of folding, is provided. with dowel pins i i suitably secured to and projecting from the outer ends of the bar. When the parts are assembled, the pins l4, extend through aligned openings 95, formed in the mortised Walls of each of the legs 6. Wooden locking pins l6 adapted'to extend through openings ll formed in and adjacent to the outer ends of the dowel pins l l, serve to retain the bar E2 in assembled relation with respect to the legs. The bar l2 reinforces and braces the legs and materially adds to the stability of the cot as a Whole. The locking pins I6 and 3E! and openings I1 and 3! are preferably tapered to enable a snug and tight fit therebetween so as to prevent the pins from becoming accidentally dislodged.

Relatively short posts I8 of wood or the like are hingedly connected to the upper ends of each of the legs 6, by hinges l9, which are in turn secured by screws 20 to the outer sides of the posts and legs. Thus the posts are adapted to be swung downwardl against the legs to facilitate packing and upwardly to vertical positions wherein the bottom ends 2| thereof abut and are supported by the beveled upper ends 9 of the legs 6, when the cot is in use.

A strip of fabric material, such as canvas, of approximately the same width as the heighth of the posts I8, is secured together at its ends by stitching 23, to form an endless band or guard member 22. Small pieces 24, of canvas or the like are suitably attached to the inside of the band 22, as by stitching 32, to form Vertical hems or pockets 25 adapted to snugly receive the corner posts l8, as illustrated in Figure 1. When the band is assembled in the manner just described, it becomes rectangular in outline and comprises side and end walls 33 and 34, respectively, which effectively prevent a baby from becoming accidentally dislodged from the cot or crib. To further protect and confine the occupant of the cot, two spaced grommets or loops 26 are preferably stitched to each side of the band, preferably adjacent the upper edge thereof, so that straps, belts or lengths-of r0pe35, may be stretched across the band between the grommets, in an obvious manner. A series of preferably four relatively short narrow strips of canvas 21, stitched to the side and end edges of the canvas bottom I are provided with snaps 28 which engage with faste eners 29 suitably secured to the outer face of the band 22. Thus, the space between the band 22' and the bottom I will be closed, the bandsecurely held in position in the posts I8 and the stability of the cot considerably enhanced.

When disassembled, with the canvas bottom and band folded or rolled into a suitable bundle, the side and reinforcing bars 3 and i2 folded, and the posts I}; folded against the legs, the cot may be inserted within a bag orthe like, not shown, to effect a relatively light compact unit which maybe handled and carried with a minimum 'of effort.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim v 'A portable knock-down cot comprising two pairs of crossed legs, horizontal side frame members each formed in two parts, each of said parts of said frame members hingedly joined together adjacent their inner ends and detachably secured at their outer ends to the upper ends of and extending between said legs, a two piece reinforc- 4 ing bar the pieces of which are hingedly connected together at their inner ends and at their outer ends are detachably secured to said crossed legs, a fabric bottom having hems in which said frame members are enclosed, supporting posts hingedly connected to the upper ends of said legs and movable to a vertical position at right angles to and above said side frame members, means for supporting the posts in said vertical position, and a flexible band sleeved over said posts above said bottom, when said posts are in vertical position, for shielding and protecting the occupant of the cot, canvas strips secured at one end to the side and end edges of the fabric bottom, said strips having separable fasteners at their free ends, and separable fasteners on the sides and ends of said band cooperating with the fasteners on the ends of said strips for connecting said bottom and said strips together for convenient disassembly.

ARTHUR B. DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 4, 1853 Austria Jan. 11, 1904 Number Number 

